HUMANE TREATMENT OF ANIMALS USED IN RESEARCH 329 
ANIMAL CAEE STANDARDS 
Similarly, laboratory animal facilities must operate in accordance with pro- 
fessionally acceptable standards. The Animal Care Panel, the national organ- 
ization of institutions and individuals in laboratory animal care, currently is 
developing these standards, based on the following principles : 
1. Professionally qualified individuals shall direct the care and management 
of laboratory animals in research institutions. 
2. Animal technicians shall be properly trained in laboratory animal care. 
3. Physical facilities and methods of care shall permit housing of animals in 
a state of well-being and comfort. 
A voluntary certification program for laboratory animal facilities based on 
these standards has been announced 4 5 * and will be in full operation in 1962. It 
demonstrates that research institutions wish to provide the best possible care 
for laboratory animals. Research hospitals are an integral part of the scientific 
community and undoubtedly will participate in this important national program. 
The nature and extent of the direction needed for laboratory animal facilities 
depend on their size and on the scope of the experimentation programs. Most 
large institutions, such as medical schools, employ veterinarians with specialized 
training in laboratory animal medicine. 25 The veterinarian is responsible for 
the professional and administrative management of the facilities. He also pro- 
vides veterinary services and consultation. As a member of the faculty, he 
teaches in his area of academic competence and conducts research in a related 
field. 
In some hospitals and affiliated research institutes, the numbers of animals 
used are sufficiently large enough to justify employment of a full-time laboratory 
animal specialist. Several Veterans’ Administration hospitals, as well as pri- 
vately supported hospitals, have organized their animal facilities under veteri- 
nary direction. As in the medical schools, these positions carry appropriate 
research or academic status and offer a satisfying professional career opportu- 
nity. The American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine 0 maintains a regis- 
try of candidates for positions in this field and lists institutions with available 
positions. 
In most hospitals, however, the experimentation programs are modest in size, 
and it is not feasible to employ a full-time laboratory animal specialist. Never- 
theless, a need for professional direction is recognized. This need can be satisfied 
in several ways : 
1. A member of the hospital research staff, a physician or biologist, can serve 
as director of the animal facility, with a committee to assist him as necessary 
to determine operating policies. The director obviously should be experienced 
in the management of animal colonies and in animal experimentation. He 
must be informed about organization in this field and be familiar with the per- 
tinent literature. The director should provide the leadership necessary to assure 
high quality animal care. 
2. A laboratory animal specialist from a local medical school may be available 
as a consultant to hospitals having a direct or indirect affiliation with the school. 
This person can aid the physician or biologist director by defining the require- 
ments for a sound animal care program and by rendering veterinary medical 
services in connection with specific research projects. 
3. In many community hospitals, the dog is used almost exclusively as the 
experimental animal. The research programs involve surgical procedures and 
require survival of the experimental subjects. Leading veterinary practitioners 
in the community have broad experience in the medical management and care of 
animal surgical patients. Some of them may be in a position to provide profes- 
sional consultation. The American Animal Hospital Association 7 maintains a 
4 Animal Facilities Certification Program. Proceedings Animal Care Panel, 11, No. 3; 
xll, 1961 ; also ibid 11, No. 2 ; ss. 1961. 
5 Clarkson, T. B., “Graduate and Professional Training in Laboratory Animal Medicine,” 
Washington, D.C. Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology. In press. 
G Robert J. Flynn, D.V.M., secretary, Argonne, 111. 
7 3920 East Jackson Blvd. Elkhart, Ind. 
